diff --git a/src/components/timeline/__tests__/use-life-event-mutations.test.ts b/src/components/timeline/__tests__/use-life-event-mutations.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8a973de6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/timeline/__tests__/use-life-event-mutations.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/**
+ * A life event save settles once the server stored it.
+ *
+ * The hooks returned the timeline refresh from `onSuccess`, which a mutation
+ * waits for, so the sheet kept its spinner until the timeline had refetched.
+ */
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const client = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  // A refetch that never answers, as on a slow connection.
+  invalidateQueries: vi.fn(() => new Promise(() => {})),
+  getQueryCache: () => ({ findAll: () => [] }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("react", async (importOriginal) => ({
+  ...(await importOriginal<typeof import("react")>()),
+  useRef: <T>(initial: T) => ({ current: initial }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@tanstack/react-query", () => ({
+  useQuery: (options: unknown) => options,
+  // The hook's options are what is under test; return them as they are.
+  useMutation: (options: unknown) => options,
+  useQueryClient: () => client,
+}));
+
+import { useLifeEventMutations } from "../use-timeline";
+
+describe("life event saves", () => {
+  it.each(["create", "update", "remove"] as const)(
+    "%s starts the refresh and does not wait for it",
+    (name) => {
+      client.invalidateQueries.mockClear();
+      const options = useLifeEventMutations()[name] as unknown as {
+        onSuccess: () => unknown;
+      };
+
+      expect(options.onSuccess()).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(client.invalidateQueries).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    },
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/components/timeline/use-timeline.ts b/src/components/timeline/use-timeline.ts
index ab0aaae45..0db31301f 100644
--- a/src/components/timeline/use-timeline.ts
+++ b/src/components/timeline/use-timeline.ts
@@ -73,8 +73,10 @@ export function useLifeEvents(enabled = true) {
 
 export function useLifeEventMutations() {
   const qc = useQueryClient();
+  // Not returned, so the sheet closes without waiting for the timeline to
+  // refetch.
   const invalidate = () =>
-    invalidateKeys(qc, [queryKeys.timelineRoot(), queryKeys.dayRoot()]);
+    void invalidateKeys(qc, [queryKeys.timelineRoot(), queryKeys.dayRoot()]);
 
   // One key until a save lands, so a retry after a timeout is not a second
   // event.